Players have faced questions at news conferences in Melbourne about whether it is appropriate that Zverev remains on the ATP Player Council while the case is ongoing but have been reluctant to comment.
The Player Council is elected by players and represents players’ interests in Tour decisions.
“My take is that I’m good at playing tennis, and I’m not good at making political decisions. Going to stay out of it and focus on tennis,” Alex de Minaur said.
Britain’s Cameron Norrie said “it was tough to comment” because he did now know what happened, while Casper Ruud said he had not had “too much time to think about it” and was “not exactly sure how to react to it”.
Grigor Dimitrov, meanwhile, said: “I think this is a matter that I think everyone needs to sit down together and discuss all of that.”
Zverev himself said that he thought he had the confidence of his fellow players to continue in the role, adding: “Nobody has said anything to me.”
And when asked if it was appropriate that he was still be in a leadership, he replied: “Why would it not be?”
Female players have been a little more prepared to comment, with world number one Iga Swiatek saying: “I think it’s up to [the] ATP what they decide. For sure, it’s not good when a player who’s facing charges like that is kind of being promoted.”
Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens said it was a “difficult situation” and “at this point for the tour and for the fans it needs to be done with”.
Earlier this year, Netflix series Break Point featured an episode about Zverev which did not mention any allegations.
There have been no statements from Australian Open organisers on the matter, although former player Jelena Dokic did bring attention to domestic abuse during the tournament. She asked Aryna Sabalenka during her on-court interview to sign some towels that could be auctioned to raise money for a domestic abuse charity.
The ATP, which has in the past said it “fully condemns any form of violence or abuse”, has said it will not be saying anything further until the German legal process has run its course.
Until then, Zverev may well face more questions in news conferences at tournaments as he continues to play on the tour, especially when his trial begins in the middle of the French Open.
